


best friends may not mean best friends forever

by Set_Suna



Series: Pogtopia Breakdown [15]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Denial, Dream's only mentioned :p, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, I still don't know how to tag you think I should've figured it out by now, No Beta We Die Like Wilbur in Skyblockle, Post-Betrayal, Regret, Sapnap doesn't know how to feel, Tommy helps him out a bit, start off strong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 01:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29360454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Set_Suna/pseuds/Set_Suna
Summary: Sapnap knew Dream belonged in the prison. He wouldn’t refute that. What he did… was fucked up. There was nothing he could do to change that or try to arrange it in a better light. He deserved his time in prison, even-even if it was a lifetime sentence.And he’d meant it. When he said he’d take Dream’s last life if he tried to escape. He knew he meant it as soon as the words left his mouth. He could say it’s because it’s what he deserved, it’s what Sam would do anyway if he did actually make it out, but neither of those were really the reason. His reason was deeper than that, more personal and fearful than he’d like to admit.He didn’t want to see Dream become even worse.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Sapnap & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: Pogtopia Breakdown [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1986469
Comments: 13
Kudos: 125





	best friends may not mean best friends forever

**Author's Note:**

> Sapnap ruined my original plans for this by visiting the prison but we make do. I think this turned out better than the original would've been so I'm satisfied. Hope you like it!
> 
> Title from "Welcome to Castle Irwell" by _Crywank_

_”I hope that you’re the one.”_

Well, he was. Dream talked. To him. That didn’t mean it felt good. Really, everything about it felt bad. It felt awful, actually, standing there and watching his--former?--best friend refuse to talk, communicating with him through words on a page. There were so many things about that visit that left him feeling gross. 

Sapnap knew Dream belonged in the prison. He wouldn’t refute that. What he did was... fucked up. There was nothing he could do to change that or try to arrange it in a better light. He deserved his time in prison, even-even if it was a lifetime sentence. 

And he’d meant it. When he said he’d take Dream’s last life if he tried to escape. He knew he meant it as soon as the words left his mouth. He could say it’s because it’s what he deserved, it’s what Sam would do anyway if he did actually make it out, but neither of those were really the reason. His reason was deeper than that, more personal and fearful than he’d like to admit.

He didn’t want to see Dream become even worse. 

He was scared for Dream. He didn’t want him to get himself into even more trouble. It still didn’t make sense. What _changed?_ There had to be something, some sign Sapnap had missed that made his friend become such a… a monster. Even that was hard to believe. How do you just accept that your best friend had turned into a completely different person too fast for you to notice? He knew Dream was better than this, so why did it have to end up like this?

The grass was soft under his fingers. The breeze carried the stale scent of ash and the sea. The prison loomed over the water ahead of him, dark and imposing. The world was still in motion, it hadn’t frozen, despite all he believed. He wished it would stop. He didn’t want to deal with the Egg or any of it. He wanted everything to go back to normal, to how it was at the beginning. It was stupid and naive, but it was the truth. 

He sighed and hung his head, shutting his eyes. He could only hope Dream would take his words to heart. This part of him wanted Dream to snap out of it, like what was happening was some sort of trance he was stuck in. The other part of him was angry. _So_ angry. The other part of him knew he was wronged, and that Dream was the one who hurt him. He knew that, he knew he shouldn’t be so quick to look for forgiveness. But what was he supposed to do? Sapnap already knew what Dream did. He just wanted his best friend back. Was that so bad?

“Ay!” a sharp voice knocked him out of his thoughts. He quickly looked around, locking eyes with familiar bright blue ones. Tommy stood behind him, hands on his hips, sleeves rolled to his elbows, face covered in dirt. Everyday he was starting to look more like his usual self, Sapnap realized. He tilted his head to the side and asked, “Are you just gonna sit there and stare all day, or what?”

He looked back towards the prison, eyes staring at the blue sky above it rather than directly at it. He mumbled, “What do you want, Tommy?”

“You’ve been sitting here for like, two hours,” he replied, dropping onto the grass beside him. He leaned back on his hands, staring up at the passing clouds. “You got some kinda devious plan or something?”

“No,” Sapnap laughed breathily, “no I don’t.” He swallowed the tightness in his voice and followed Tommy’s eyes to the clouds. “How’s the hotel coming? You seem to be hard at work.”

“Yeah, it's goin’ alright, I’m just weedin’ and shit. Sam Nook’s turning me into a fuckin’ gardener,” Tommy complained, tilting his head back to look at the enclosed build site.

Sapnap chuckled. “Hey, some dirty work like that is good for you.”

“I severely doubt that,” Tommy countered. “It fucking sucks.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Sapnap conceded. 

It was strange. Tommy had gone out of his way to find Mars and return him to Sapnap, right before Doomsday truly began. He was the last person Tommy should have gone to for help, all things considered. They had their moments, he guessed. It felt good to know Tommy still thought of him as someone he could get along with. Which _was_ the strange part. Here this kid was, sitting and chatting casually with the ex-best friend of the man who had made his life a living hell. 

“Why are you even talking to me?” Sapnap asked suddenly, turning to face him. “Shouldn’t you hate me or something?”

Tommy grimaced. He leaned forward, resting his arms on top of his knees. He answered halfheartedly, “I dunno, maybe? I mean, you protected me and Tubbo on that day. Dream had something to hold over you in that vault, too, and-and I know what it’s like, to be betrayed by someone you considered a friend… or a brother.”

It was Sapnap’s turn to grimace. Of course he did. The kid had been through the most out of all of them. His hands gripped the grass beneath him. It was so clear what he should be feeling, but yet… 

“Do… Do you miss him?” Tommy asked hesitantly, glancing up and shyly meeting his gaze. 

“I… I don’t know why,” Sapnap answered quietly. “I shouldn’t, but I do. He hurt me--he hurt you! He hurt you so much worse than what he did to me. I can’t tell who I’m more angry at, myself or him.”

“Well, it’s not your fault it ended up like this,” Tommy mumbled with a shrug. “You shouldn’t blame yourself.”

“But I’m his--I _was_ his best friend! Shouldn’t that mean something?” Sapnap questioned, practically punching a fist into his own chest. “I should’ve noticed something--something I could’ve changed.”

“Not everyone’s who you think they are,” Tommy told him bitterly. “Dream’s a bitch. You and I both know it.”

Sapnap sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know. I should be mad at him. He caused so many problems and left us to clean up the mess. He left me behind in his pursuit for power and it fucking _sucks_ because he wouldn’t tell me _why._ Just--This isn’t him. This isn’t the Dream I know. I just want _my Dream_ back.”

He heard Tommy release a shaky sigh. “I-I hate to break it to you, man, but… I don’t know if the Dream you knew is still in there.”

It stung. Sapnap remembered Dream’s voice when he finally spoke, quiet and rasping from lack of use. That single word, _”yes”,_ had haunted him since. He’d told Dream they could still be some form of friends. He couldn’t just let him go and move on. Apparently, Dream didn’t feel the same. He only asked if he could pass on a message. He was compliant, as a means to an end, but Sapnap wanted to look at it hopefully. Like it meant some part of Dream still cared about him. 

Months ago, when he’d asked Tommy if Dream meant it when he said he didn’t care about anything on the server other than the discs, Tommy told him he did. What reason did he have to doubt it now?

The truth hurt. It was the cold reality Sapnap would have to face. 

“I told him I’d be the one to take his last life if he tried to escape,” Sapnap admitted quietly, watching as dark storm clouds blew in over the horizon. “I told him it’s where he needs to be. I told him we could still be friends. He didn’t even seem to care.” 

Tommy stared out at the prison. A peal of thunder echoed in the distance. Sapnap sighed shakily, “Sorry. You probably don’t appreciate me talking like this about the guy who fucked with you for so long.” 

“I’m… getting over it. And you should, too,” Tommy replied. He pushed himself to his feet. He brushed his hands off on his jeans and offered Sapnap a hand. “We shouldn’t have to hold on to things that just cause us pain.”

Sapnap stared at his outstretched palm for a second. Tommy’s hand was littered with little marks and scars. There was dirt caked under his fingernails from weeding. There was a scar between his thumb and pointer finger. His fingers were thin and covered in nicks from working. His hands were calloused and worn, and when Sapnap grabbed it, it’s grip was strong. He’d fought Tommy too many times to count. He knew the kid standing in front of him was a soldier, one who deserved better. It was obvious: Dream being locked in the prison was making his life better. Who was he to let his selfish desires get in the way of this kid’s future?

“Help me finish this shit,” Tommy said, dragging him towards the frame of the hotel. “I wanna get it done before it rains.”

He huffed. “Fine.” 

He could learn a thing or two from Tommy, as weird as it was to admit. Try as he might, there was no guarantee that Dream was ever going to change. It wouldn’t stop him from trying, but it was something he needed to remember. He wasn’t ready to let go of his self-placed guilt yet. Things could have been different if he’d done anything differently. He was going to get it right. One of these days--one of these stupid moments where things actually mattered--he was going to make the right decision. 

He tugged another weed from the ground, tossing it on the pile he and Tommy made between them. He sat back momentarily, glancing over at Tommy. He looked focused, tongue poking between his lips as he pulled weeds from the grass. 

“Thank you, Tommy,” he said.

He watched as Tommy froze for a second before hurrying along with his task. He grinned as he saw the kid’s ears burn red. 

“Just fuckin’ weed, then we’ll be even,” Tommy snapped embarrassedly. 

He laughed softly, turning away and getting back on track. Sapnap would hold up to his promise. He would kill Dream if he actually made it out of that prison alive. It would be for himself, for his own security, so he’d know his friend wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone anymore than he already had. But it’d also be for the others. So they wouldn’t have to bear another burden. The hero next to him was retiring. It was someone else’s turn to start pulling the weight.

**Author's Note:**

> yknow I really do just analyze everyone's relationship with Tommy in this series
> 
> I appreciate any and all comments/kudos/bookmarks you choose to leave! 
> 
> You can follow my [tumblr](https://quibbels.tumblr.com/) for fic updates and my [twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/quiblii) to see more stuff from me!


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